Written Answers Friday 15 August 2008

Scottish Executive

Emergency Services

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults on emergency services workers have been reported to the police since 1 August 2007, broken down by police authority.

Kenny MacAskill: The police recorded crime statistics (collected centrally) are based on an aggregate return at local authority level, and do not distinguish the circumstances of the crime, such as the occupation of the victim.

  Following the introduction of the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005, a new crime code (Minor Assault of an Emergency Worker) was created. However, the figures cannot be broken down by category of worker.

  Police recorded crime statistics for the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 are due to be published in September 2008.

Emergency Services

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the Barnett consequentials for the recent changes to the police and fire and rescue services pensions.

Kenny MacAskill: No. Barnett consequentials only arise as a result of increases in provision for comparable spending areas in Whitehall Departments. HM Treasury maintains that these circumstances do not apply in this case, although discussions are continuing.

Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals have been prosecuted successfully under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005, broken down by police authority.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts Under the Emergency Workers Act (Scotland) Act 20051, by Police Force, 2005-06 to 2006-07

  

Police Force
2005-06
2006-07


Northern 
1
8


Grampian 
4
9


Tayside 
1
6


Fife 
1
19


Lothian and Borders 
23
49


Central 
-
8


Strathclyde 
19
87


Dumfries and Galloway
5
14


Scotland
54
200



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

Higher Education

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of GDP Scotland would have to invest in universities to place it in the top decile internationally for national investment in research, development and innovation, as outlined as a challenge in New Horizons: responding to the challenges of the 21st century , the interim report of the Joint Future Thinking Taskforce on Universities, and how much this represents in cash terms at 2008 prices.

Fiona Hyslop: International comparable data on higher education expenditure on research and development (HERD) are only available for the 30 OECD countries. The latest available figures relate to 2005.

  Scottish HERD in 2005 was £688,000, which was 0.7% of GDP and second only to Sweden in terms of percentage of GDP. With only 30 countries having comparable data, very small changes in expenditure could lead to major annual shifts between deciles. However, this places Scotland’s HERD as a percentage of GDP in the top decile of OECD countries.

Higher Education

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what levels of public funding per student, as referred to in New Horizons: responding to the challenges of the 21st century , the interim report of the Joint Future Thinking Taskforce on Universities, (a) have been over the last three years and (b) are projected to be over the next three years.

Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14243 on 10 July 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Higher Education

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what public funding levels (a) have been in each of the last three years and (b) will be in each of the next three years, and what student numbers (i) were and (ii) are projected to be for the same periods.

Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15194 on 15 August 2008. It has been assumed information is being requested on the public funding of higher education.

  (a) The resources provided through the Scottish Funding Council for higher education over the last three years in terms of the Spending Review 2004 settlement were:

  2005-06: £853,000,000

  2006-07: £958,000,000

  2007-08: £1,028,000,000.

  (b) The equivalent resources over the next three years in terms of the Spending Review 2007 settlement are:

  2008-09: £1,036,000,000

  2009-10: £1,082,000,000

  2010-11: £1,126,000,000.

  (i) Details of student numbers for the period requested are only currently available up to 2006-07. Information on student numbers for 2005-06 and 2006-07 can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Lifelong-learning/TrendHEStudents.

  (ii) Projected details of student numbers are not held centrally.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Higher Education

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers to be a level of public resources that will keep universities nationally and internationally competitive.

Fiona Hyslop: The interim report of the Joint Futures Thinking Taskforce on Universities recognises there are a number of factors which contribute to keeping universities nationally and internationally competitive. While public resource is one, this includes not just funding from the Scottish Government but also, for example, grants from Research Councils. In addition, many of our institutions attract funding from private sources. This dual support model was highlighted as a strength in the interim report. In the future, the proposed Tripartite Advisory Group will play a key role in advising the Scottish Government on public resources.

International Development

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what changes have been made to monitoring and reporting procedures in relation to its International Development Policy.

Linda Fabiani: As stated in the International Development Policy, published in May 2008, the Scottish Government is committed to rigorous monitoring and evaluation procedures for all Scottish Government funded activity.

  Six monthly and annual reporting for all projects will continue, with a revised reporting format that takes account of lessons learned in previous funding rounds and the recent independent review of IDF funding carried out by LTS International on our behalf. Details of reporting requirements will be published on the Scottish Government website in due course as will copies of all Monitoring and Reporting forms. Adherence to these requirements will remain a condition of the grant contract.

International Development

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings it has had with officials of Zambia, Tanzania, Rwanda and the Darfur region of Sudan in preparation for its international development work in these countries.

Linda Fabiani: As stated in the new international development policy and subsequent funding guidance, the Sub-Saharan Africa Development Programme is not operating through a direct government-to-government relationship but through the use of block grants to established organisations already operating in the four countries. Therefore, we have not held meetings directly with any officials in the countries specified. In-country engagement is a matter for the NGOs delivering the programme.

International Development

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what national priorities have been identified, and by whom, for development aid in Zambia, Tanzania, Rwanda and the Darfur region of Sudan.

Linda Fabiani: As stated in the International Development Policy launched on 7 May and defined more clearly in section 1.2 of the guidance to our new policy, launched on 26 June, we will not predefine sectors or specific policy areas to address in delivering the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Development Programme which comprises the four countries of Zambia, Tanzania, Rwanda and the Darfur region of Sudan. The Sub-Saharan Africa Development Programme will operate through a block grant system.

  The use of block grants will devolve greater responsibility to the organisation/consortium in Scotland for the identification and delivery of a programme that reflects the priorities of relevant in-country development policies. We will therefore be looking to established organisations in Scotland to deliver strategic programmes in those countries through the block grant system and after appropriate in-country discussions.

International Development

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the outcome of its current funding round for the Sub-Saharan Africa Development Programme.

Linda Fabiani: Decisions on concept notes will be made available to applicants by Friday 12 September 2008.

  Successful applicants will be invited to submit more detailed application forms, by 12 noon on Monday 13 October 2008.

  Final decisions will be made shortly thereafter.

Justice

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults on rail staff have been reported to police since 1 August 2007, broken down by police authority.

Kenny MacAskill: The police recorded crime statistics collected centrally are based on an aggregate return at local authority level, and do not distinguish the circumstances of the crime, such as the occupation of the victim.

  Police recorded crime statistics for the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 are due to be published in September 2008.

NHS Staff

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults on NHS staff have been reported to police since 1 August 2007, broken down by po

lice authority.

Kenny MacAskill: The police recorded crime statistics collected centrally are based on an aggregate return at local authority level, and do not distinguish the circumstances of the crime, such as the occupation of the victim.

  Following the introduction of the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005, a new crime code (Minor Assault of an Emergency Worker) was created. However, the figures cannot be broken down by category of worker.

  Police recorded crime statistics for the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 are due to be published in September 2008.

Oil and Gas Industry

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what calculation it has made of the number of offshore oil and gas workers who reside in Scotland.

Jim Mather: According to the 2001 Census, there were 17,199 residents of Scotland who worked offshore. Of these, 15,416 left from a departure point in Scotland, 694 from a departure point in the rest of the UK and 1,089 from a departure point outside the UK.

Oil and Gas Industry

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what calculation it has made of the number of offshore oil and gas workers who reside elsewhere in the United Kingdom but also have accommodation in Scotland.

Jim Mather: The 2001 Censuses for England, Wales and Northern Ireland collected information about residents of these countries. While counts are available of how many residents of these countries worked on offshore installations, no information was collected about whether they also had accommodation elsewhere.

Oil and Gas Industry

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what calculation it has made of the number of offshore oil and gas workers who reside outside the United Kingdom but also have accommodation in Scotland.

Jim Mather: The 2001 Censuses for Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland only collected information about residents of these countries and not people whose usual residence was outside the UK.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prison visiting areas are equipped with body orifice security scanner chairs.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  No prison visiting areas are equipped with Body Orifice Security Scanning Chairs.

Registrar General for Scotland

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Registrar General for Scotland will publish his annual report for 2007.

Jim Mather: Scotland’s Population 2007: the Registrar General’s Annual Review of Demographic Trends is published today. The report contains information about births, deaths and marriages during the year, together with other demographic information. A copy of the report is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 46111), or from the Registrar General’s website at:

  www.gro-scotland.gov.uk.

School Meals

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will carry out a survey of the arrangements for providing school meals with particular reference to (a) va

lue for money, (b) nutritional content and (c) cooking arrangements.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has no plans to carry out a survey of arrangements for providing school meals. We are providing local authorities with record levels of funding and allowing them to retain any efficiency savings. It is the responsibility of local authorities to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to deliver a school lunch service that meets local needs.

  With regard to the nutritional content of school meals, under the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007 (the Act), local authorities must ensure that the food and drink provided in schools complies with The Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2008. These regulations were approved by Parliament on the 25 June 2008 and came into force on 4 August 2008.

  HM Inspectorate of Education will be involved in monitoring the implementation of the Act through their programme of inspections. Inspections will build on the activities that inspection teams undertook to evaluate aspects of health promotion and the implementation of Hungry for Success. They will focus particularly on the impact of actions taken by schools and local authorities to improve food provision in schools and the uptake of food provided. Self-evaluation by schools and local authorities will continue to be important in measuring impact, identifying effective practice and securing continuous improvement.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-14483 by Maureen Watt on 10 July 2008, how many students will receive financial support from the Scottish Government excluding non-means-tested loans and tuition fees (or tuition fee loans if they are studying elsewhere in the United Kingdom) in each of the next three years if earnings rise at the average rate for 2007-08, broken down by household income.

Fiona Hyslop: The following table shows the number of Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) supported Scottish students receiving some form of support other than non-means tested loans or tuition fees (or tuition fee loans if they are studying elsewhere in the UK) broken down by parental/spousal income for academic year 2006-07. The table also shows how this data would look if average earnings rose by 3.1% (figure based on growth in average median weekly earnings in the year to April 2007) and income thresholds for means tested maintenance loans for academic years 2007-08 and 2008-09 are applied. Income thresholds for academic year 2009-10 are yet to be determined.

  

 
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


Income not declared/required
3,955
3,955
3,955


< £10,000
11,030
10,660
10,180


£10,000 - £19,999
13,575
13,230
13,025


£20,000 - £29,999
11,945
11,650
11,095


£30,000 - £39,999
9,365
9,445
9,750


£40,000 - £49,999
6,365
6,375
6,795


£50,000 - £59,999
1,755
1,990
2,185


£60,000 - £69,999
685
750
810


£70,000 - £79,999
175
260
345


£80,000 - £89,999
55
60
70


£90,000 - £99,998
40
40
45


£99,999 and above
55
70
80


Exempt from parental/spousal contribution
16,325
16,325
16,325


Total
75,330
74,820
74,665



  Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland (2006-07 data), Scottish Government analysis (2007-08, 2008-09 data).

  Note: Student numbers have been rounded to the nearest five.

  Some students on relatively high incomes i.e. above the standard thresholds remain in the table because they are receiving the non-means tested Disabled Student’s Allowance or due to some special circumstances (e.g. study abroad) which means that they receive support where in most cases a student would not.

  Income thresholds for means tested loans depend on many individual circumstances including location of study, duration of course, whether a student is in their final year and when they entered higher education. The above calculations take account of the income thresholds that apply to the majority of students, i.e. Scottish students living at home or elsewhere who are on standard degree courses (30 weeks) and are not in their final year. Constant student numbers are assumed i.e. the same students applied in 2007-08 and only their incomes and the thresholds for means tested loans changed.

  The latest year for which data are available for students receiving some form of support is for 2006-07. Similarly, 2006-07 is the latest year for which data are available for average earnings.

  Students on the Nursing and Midwifery Bursary Scheme are not included in the table.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-14485 by Maureen Watt on 10 July 2008, how much financial support was provided to students excluding non-means tested loans and tuition fees (or tuition fee loans if studying elsewhere in the United Kingdom) in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2006-07, (c) 2005-06 and (d) 2004-05, broken down by (i) household income and (ii) numbers of students in each income band.

Fiona Hyslop: The following table shows higher education students who are receiving support, other than non-means tested maintenance loan, tuition fees or tuition fee loans, from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) and the amount of such support received broken down by parental/spousal income for academic years 2004-05 to 2006-07.

  

Academic Year
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07


 
Number of Students
Amount Support (£000)
Number of Students
Amount Support (£000)
Number of Students
Amount Support (£000)


Income not declared/required
3,950
13,053
4,075
13,577
3,960
13,416


< £10k
11,975
40,462
11,560
40,057
11,030
39,052


£10,000 - £19,999
14,195
44,592
13,990
46,801
13,575
47,083


£20,000 - £29,999
12,855
31,898
12,520
32,658
11,945
32,328


£30,000 - £39,999
10,120
17,900
9,700
18,350
9,365
18,607


£40,000 - £49,999
5,855
6,425
6,370
7,594
6,365
8,013


£50,000 - £59,999
1,345
1,578
1,510
1,791
1,755
1,975


£60,000 - £69,999
450
392
580
541
685
701


£70,000 - £79,999
125
122
125
102
175
140


£80,000 - £89,999
30
23
45
34
55
56


£90,000 - £99,998
15
17
20
21
40
51


£99,999 and above
40
68
50
70
55
65


Exempt from parental/spousal contribution
16,640
61,634
16,455
63,101
16,325
64,239


Total
77,600
218,162
77,000
224,696
75,330
225,726



  Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).

  Note: Student numbers have been rounded to the nearest five and monetary amounts to the nearest thousand.

  Students are included in this table if the receive support in the form of awards and/or means tested maintenance loans. Income bands are based on residual parental or, in the case of students who are married or in a civil partnership, spousal income. This is income after deductions allowed by SAAS have been subtracted.

  This table does not include students on the Nursing and Midwifery Bursary Scheme. Academic year 2006-07 is the latest for which figures are available.